Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own MLP: FIM or Redwall. I do own Shooting Star or Princess Rosethrone, and Colonel Ashpaw the Brave.

Princess Rosethrone was patrolling the arena where she'd be facing off against Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. It looked exactly as if they would be fighting in a gladiator style match. Her evil eyes scanned the arena seeing plants everywhere around it, perfect for catching her two opponents off guard. She sat on her throne waiting for the sun to rise. Deep down she was hoping her two opponents would entertain her in their fight. She was true to her word if they were boring when she was facing off against them then she'd kill them where they fall. If they entertained her then she'd spare them to wonder when she'd kill them. The humiliation in Rosethrone's mind to her fellow two Princesses was at the moment more reward to her eyes than killing them off right, besides making an example out of the Princesses would show their followers that their way of method won't ever accomplish anything in the long run. So keeping them alive but humiliating them was her objective, that is if the two could entertain her in their battle against her.

Rosethrone sat on her throne imagining the shocked look on everyponies faces when they saw their two Princesses they knew of and followed ever sense the defeat of Discord easily fall to her. This was bond to happen to them and the evil Alicorn knew it. She heard someone approaching and luckily it was Ripfang. At her glare he spoke bowing adopting a tone that he often used with her father Ungatt Trunn "Mightiness, it's nearly dawn and soon the prisoners will be escorted out of their prison for their fight with you."

Rosethrone hadn't heard that title in a while and it overthrew her but she didn't show it "Addressing me as Mightiness hugh? I haven't heard of that title ever sense Father left to conquer Salmandestron. Nice call Ripfang but do call me Princess next time. Far more better title to use in Equestria than Mightiness...Adopting is what is needed here Ripfang."

"My bad Princess, I just thought it would be best to call you that sense your father adored that."

Rosethorne agreed with her rat captain's statement but spoke her piece of mind "He came up with lots of titles for him Mightiness being his favorite title of anybeast to call him, even I've had to call him that otherwise he'd beat my behind or strangle me for being rude to him. Even though I should adopt to being called that by my loyal subjects like you and my horde, it's probably best to still call me Princess."

"Of course my Princess anything for you!"

Rosethrone checked the rising sun "You know Ripfang, here in Equestria things are different...Like the sun rising...Did you know Princess Celestia does that here?"

Ripfang touched his one fang "No, but the next question is how is she doing it in the dungeons? And how did she do that everyday?"

"Equestrian Magic Ripfang" Rosethrone answered "And her sister Princess Luna brings the night and the Moon."

"Interesting Princess, but when you kill them then who'd raise the sun and the moon?"

Rosethrone chuckled evilly "Who knows? And who cares? Sunrise, morning, or night skies aren't my problem now. Could care less what time of day it is."

She studied the arena carefully with Ripfang watching her "You seriously going to fight them two against one Princess? That doesn't seem like a good idea."

Rosethrone picks him up with her magic making him look deep into her red eye choking him even "THAT IS WHY YOU ARE AND WILL ALWAYS BE A SECOND-IN-COMMAND IN ANY TRUE VERMIN HORDE THAT'S AN ARMY! YOU WOULDN'T KNOW HOW TO INSTALL FEAR IN THE HEARTS OF YOUR CONQUERED FOES BY USING THEIR LEADERS AS A TOOL FOR THEM TO SEE MY POINT!"

Ripfang spoke in a choking tone "P-P-P-P-Princess! F-F-F-Forgive me I spoke out of terms and and just worried about your well being you shouldn't have to fight them when you could use one of your many soldiers to do the beat down for you!"

Rosethrone simply rolled her eyes at his explanation but glared at him "ARE YOU SAYING JUST BECAUSE I'M A PRINCESS I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT?!"

"Me say that to you never!" the rat protested "You have the right to fight whoever you want to as well as kill anyone that you want that opposes you!"

Rosethrone growls angrily but eases her grip on her magic around the rat's throat then used it to toss him like a stone out the window "You probably meant well but you and any of my vermin horde wouldn't last much against two Alicorns. Especially when I sense Luna might put up a better fight than her sister. Now go and bring them before I change my mind of sparing your life!"

"YES PRINCESS! ANYTHING FOR YOU!" Ripfang shouted as he fell from the window of te arena and onto the the ground below right onto Braveheart's back.

Braveheart blinked with surprise not expecting that and turned to see who fell onto his back "Captain Ripfang? Wha-"

"Don't complete that sentence mate" Ripfang warned then he quickly added on "And never make the Princess angry or she'll toss you out a window."

Rosethrone trotted over towards the window where she threw Ripfang out of and peered down at him. The rat immediately saluted, jumped off Braveheart's back and spoke "Going to get them now Princess! Come on Braveheart, I somehow got her in a bad mood."

Braveheart looked up and smartly not wanting to deal with Rosethrone's wrath as she certainly did look angry this morning quickly trotted over to help Ripfang "Certainly Captain sir!"

Rosethrone watches them run off to get the prisoners from the dungeons of Canterlot Castle shaking her head. If there was one thing that set her off more than anything it was anypony questioning why she should get her hooves dirty in fighting someone as she planned to do so when somepony or somebeast could do the job better. In her mind it made her appear as a weakling to those that spoke that line. Plus it seemed they were forgetting who they were addressing to the daughter of Ungatt Trunn, a powerful warlord when they suggested that line. Ripfang was real lucky not for her to snap his neck in her anger. She huffs looking at the still rising sun above her head "One of these days, I'll snap harder than I did today. The daughter of Ungatt Trunn is no weakling. I had to be strong to survive, after all that's what father constantly said to me-" she took a deep breathe and made a good impression of her father as she recanted his first inspiring lesson to her to follow his footsteps "Rosethrone honey, in life you have to show strength even when others think that just because you are a princess. If one thinks you are a pretty face, show them they are wrong! In battle and in conquering a land one must show their strength. Show them you can handle any difficult opponent and that your followers can't hope to compare themselves to you and always make examples out of those you consider your foes."

Rosethrone actually giggled a bit as she had spoke that last line and she looked at the sun "Those were great advise father...And I will be making an example of those two Princesses. Then once then I won't ever hear from anybeast those lines ever again!"

In the dungeons, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna sat miserably knowing that Rosethrone was true to her words. The two would have to fight her if they wanted to reclaim their home. Princess Luna was prepared glaring out of her cell towards the arena that she and her sister would fight Rosethrone. Princess Celestia looks at Luna "Luna..."

Luna turned to her sister "For your sake Celestia...We'd better win this, otherwise I'm not ever speaking to you ever again!"

"Are you blaming me for what has happened?" Celestia asked her sister.

"Yes, and no!" Luna told her "Partly yes because you should've seen Rosethrone just using us to defeat Discord and should've seen that she wasn't on our side at all!"

"Luna you were with me at that time! None of us knew about Rosethrone's past"

"At the time maybe but your so called visions should've predicted this eventually!"

Celestia sighed as Luna shook her head "But I'm not completely faulting this on you. Your going to say the same thing as I am, we had no idea of her true intentions. However I'm just really hating Rosethrone! I liked her when she was on our side even if she was hiding her evil past away."

"Don't go hating her" Celestia advised.

"Why?!" Luna demanded "At this point she's taken all of Equestria in her hooves! You saw what she did to that poor mare, killing her off just like that for failing her too many times. She's deliberately tricked us into thinking she was on our side when she wasn't. So why shouldn't I be hating her? She's taken everything away from us sister! And yet if we don't entertain her in her words she's going to KILL US!"

Princess Celestia was about to speak but Luna continued with a few tears in her eyes "All I'm saying is I'm going to give her all I have and treat her as an enemy! Do what you want to do but if she kills you because you aren't entertaining her or we both somehow entertain her and we both lose as she's predicting then I WILL NOT SPEAK TO YOU EVER AGAIN!"

Princess Celestia could see that Rosethrone's words were hitting Luna as if Rosethrone was speaking the truth "Luna...I-"

She was going to say more but the dungeon door opened with Braveheart, and Captain Ripfang along with twenty guards rush in. Ripfang had heard the conversation and smirked at Luna "I bet you'll entertain Princess Rosethrone, I do wonder what will happen if the Princess decides to kill Celestia."

Luna growls spreading her wings, gathered magic in her horn and charged him "THE SAME THING THAT I'LL DO TO YOU RIGHT NOW!"

Princess Celestia tries to grab her with her magic but ten of the guards grabbed her, put a rope around her neck and dragged her out as her sister actually pounces on Ripfang. Ripfang struggled to reach his cutlass trying to throw her off him as she blasts at him from point blank range. Luckily for him Luna wasn't a good aim at the moment and missed his head by inches but she had him pinned and tried to deliver a fatal blow with her horn stabbing out at him. Not normally one to panic under most situations, reality hit Ripfang like a brick as he then shouted "HELP ME MATES! THIS ALICORN IS MAD!"

"YOU ASKED ME WHAT I'LL DO IF ROSETHRONE KILLS CELESTIA ?! WELL THIS IS PRETTY MUCH IT! I'LL TRY TO KILL ROSETHRONE BACK ONCE I'M DONE KILLING YOU!"

Princess Celestia watches as Braveheart rushes to aide the rat captain "Braveheart don't aid Ripfang!"

Braveheart looks at her defiantly "EASY FOR YOU TO SAY! IF I DON'T HELP RIPFANG, Princess Rosethrone will beat my sisters and I can't have that! Rosethrone is right! It's everypony for him or herself under her rule, and Ripfang is my captain so it's my job to aide him!"

The guards shoved Celestia out of the way with her looking shocked that this colt was willingly shoving his own true Princess out of the way in favor for someone like Rosethrone. She watches as Braveheart along with the other ten guards pounce on Luna taking her off Ripfang. Princess Luna flails her legs kicking at the guards, fires magic out of her horn and evenly manages to land a kick to Ripfang's head earning a swift but not so permanent knock out. Despite Luna's struggles, Braveheart gathered in a stunning spell in his horn and uses it to strike Luna stunning her. Once she was stunned the other guards subdue the younger Equestrian Princess tying ropes around her neck and body. Once she was restrained she glares at Braveheart but unlike with Ripfang where her anger was rightfully towards him as she saw him as a bully, she could tell that there was some light in Braveheart but not much. It was Braveheart whom made sure she was fully restrained then gave the other guards the rope for to drag Luna along. The Princess of the Night struggled still but she couldn't fight them off not while bond like she was. Once out Braveheart knelt down, knelt down, used his own magic to lift Ripfang up then put him on his back as he took the lead in bringing the two Equestrian Princesses towards the arena.

In the arena area, Princess Rosethrone watches as the ponies she conquered all came into the arena to take their stands. She personally had exited the throne she was sitting on to invite her guests in and was making a mental note on how much were coming. So far so good that her soldiers had managed to get everypony inside it. She turned to see Princess Celestia being lead to guest part of the arena being carried by ten guards. Princess Rosethrone looked at the older Equestrian Princess whose face showed no emotion but sadness for her as if trying to convince Rosethrone to give up her villainous ways. Rosethrone wasn't about to do that, not until she conquered Salmandestron. She nodded towards the ten guards as they escorted Celestia into the guest part of the arena. She then turned to see Braveheart and the other ten guards heavily dragging Luna. She took one look at Ripfang whom was still unconscious and riding Braveheart's back. Before she could ask what happened Braveheart quickly spoke so she wouldn't harm his sisters "Princess! Captain Ripfang had a bit of trouble handling Luna, she nearly killed him-"

"And I wish I had" Princess Luna muttered angrily.

Rosethrone smirked at Luna "Wouldn't have mattered to me if you would've killed him. Captains are easily replaceable...The question is if if you can find a good qualifying captain to replace him." she then addressed the worried Braveheart "But don't worry Braveheart you did well to save your captain's life. Now go take Luna inside the arena."

"Yes Princess!"

Braveheart with the guards drag the struggling Princess Luna inside the visitor's spot of the arena. While this was being done, Rosethrone grabbed Ripfang with her magic and revived him with a revival herb. He came around "Oh, my head..."

He then saw Rosethrone looking at him with serious eyes and gulped "And possibly my life!"

Rosethrone looked at him as she berated him "CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT RIPFANG?! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BRING THOSE PRINCESSES TO ME! YET BRAVEHEART HAS TO BAIL YOU OUT FROM BEING KILLED BY LUNA! NO TALKING OR TAUNTING THE TWO PRINCESSES JUST GET THEM AND BRING THEM TO ME! OUT OF ALL THESE STUPID MISTAKES MY CAPTAINS HAVE MADE THIS IS THE WORSE! PLUS I NEARLY LOST A GREAT CAPTAIN DUE TO HIS FOOLISHNESS IN TAUNTING A PRISONER! THOSE TYPES OF CAPTAINS AREN'T THAT EASY TO REPLACE AS SCAR WAS!"

"She fought like a madbeast Princess!" Ripfang proclaimed "I've never seen an Equestrian Princess outside of your figure be that mad! SHE FOUGHT LIKE AN ENRANGED BADGER FULL OF BLOODWRATH!"

Rosethrone calms herself down hearing this an evil smirk was on her face "Oh, did she now? That's good, it ensures me that she's taking this fight very seriously as she should. I'm not sure what you did to get her that upset on you but I suppose you did well for once. Sure it was an easy assignment but you now found out that Alicorns aren't pushovers."

"Certainly my Princess! At least not that one and certainly not you ether!"

Rosethrone gets up and walks to the arena where she sits on her makeshift emperor's throne in it as Ripfang was at her side surprised she wasn't killing him. Ungatt Trunn probably would've killed him for an easy mission gone wrong. Or at least demoted him, as Ungatt Trunn did do this to two captains of his own for the killing of Lord Stonepaw when the Wildcat wanted him taken alive. Ripfang supposed it was the information about Luna fighting like a madbeast that saved his life and he was right. Rosethrone took to the stands as Ripfang walked forward to announce what was going to happen "ATTENTION ALL YOU LESSER BEASTS! YOUR NEW PRINCESS ROSETRONE IS ABOUT TO DEMONSTRATE SOMETHING!"

Rosethrone nodded with Ripfang announcing "Bring out the prisoners!"

The visitor's gates opened and both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were dragged out with Braveheart releasing the rope on Princess Luna. Rosethrone looked down at her fellow two Princesses as she calls to the crowd of ponies fearing that Rosethrone was preparing to execute the two Princesses in front of them. The evil Princess calls down "Attention Celestia and Luna! You two are about to face off against me two against one! The only way you and the other ponies will get Canterlot and all of Equestria back is from killing me! If you aren't able to kill me then I will be fighting to ether knock you girls out or kill you in return. However if I deem it that you are worthy to spare I will do so and you'll live on until I decide to execute you two...Exactly in one weeks time if I do spare you...Ponies of Equestria! I suggest you watch this fight between me and the other two Princesses! I'm about to show you how soft and weak your kind is at the moment and after this day I'll expect you all to work harder at becoming soldiers because once your leaders fall in this battle or I execute them in a week if I spare their lives you'll have no leaders except for me."

"Do we have to fight?" Celestia asked Rosethrone.

Rosethrone looked at her "Of course! It's the only way to decide things"

She spreads her wings and flies down towards them landing on the opposite circle "And now the fight begins!"

Princess Celestia looks at Princess Rosethrone as does Princess Luna. The three Princesses circle one another with Princess Celestia hesitating a little hoping she could speak to her as a friend, as it did occur to her that Rosethrone never truly had friends to begin with. Maybe in her mind that if she showed Rosethorne how to be friends then Rosethrone could go back to a normal pony and Equestria could be better with the three of them. Luna on the other hand was certainly aggressive in her circling. Luna was studying when to take her chance and fling herself at Rosethrone. With her horn glowing blue, Luna had enough circling and blasts at Rosethrone. Rosethrone simply ducks the blast taunting Luna "Is that the best you've got Luna? My, you have bad aim...I hear you couldn't hit Ripfang when you pinned him."

Princess Celestia knew that Rosethrone was trying to use Luna's anger against her "LUNA NO!"

"LUNA YES!" Luna shouted angrily and she charges right at Rosethrone "YOU WANT ME TO AIM BETTER THAN HERE I COME!"

Luna blasts out at her foe two, three no four times in rapid session. Each time Rosethrone simply ducks, or weaves in and out of the blasts with ease. Then once Luna was in close range, the evil Alicorn simply lures Luna towards her and back flips, with her rear hooves kicking Luna in the chin. Luna grunts as she is forced backwards. Luna tasted blood from her mouth as Rosethrone's kick did more than just force her backward it made her mouth bleed. Luna growls readjusted her wings and came at the evil Alicorn blasting away. Rosethrone yawns as she continued to dodge with ease "Too predictable!"

Luna growls "TOO PREDICTABLE?!" she focuses in huge amount of magic in her horn then SHOT it out at Rosethrone like a huge annihilating laser beam.

Rosethrone for once gasps not expecting this she produced a red magic barrier around herself which shielded her completely from the blast. The blasts washes over her as if it were struck by a watery wave. Luna comes at her just as Rosethrone lets the barrier down. Rosethrone's horn glows red as she makes command out of vines near bye. She times it right then made the vines produce a sticky substance as she begins making a webbing motion out of the vines. Luna came at her thinking she had the advantage but Rosethrone sprung her trap! Just as Luna was going to get into the middle the vines erupted around her catching her in what appeared to be a sticky vine like spiderweb trap which Luna was caught in.

Luna struggled to break free "WHAT GIVES?!"

"Used your anger to the best of my abilities" Rosethrone told her "Those vines should keep you busy, now who am I forgetting?"

She ducks a yellow sunshine like blast from Celestia "Oh yeah, your weakling sister."

Celestia comes at her and Rosethrone does the same, the two Alicorn's clash horns with Celestia speaking her mind "Rosethrone you don't have to follow the path of your father! You control your own destiny!"

Rosethrone overpowers Celestia's clash with great ease "You are right about one thing Celestia, I control my own destiny! I will not rest till Salmandestron is conquered and right now I'm doing a good thing for Equestria taking it over! You are weak and depend on those Elements of Harmony to do your hard work for you! Well not me!"

Princess Celestia and Rosethrone each take a leap backwards from each other, then circle with Celestia gathering in magical beam and firing it at Rosethrone. Rosethrone gathered her own and blasts out. Red magical energies clash onto yellow magical energies in a deadlock. Princess Celestia focuses in her magic as she spoke "Just because we use the Elements of Harmony doesn't mean we are weak!"

"I beg to differ!" Rosethrone said "You don't know what a real war is like! I've seen them! The Elements of Harmony can't protect you from invasions like mine even if you had them. And now see how weak you really are!"

"We are at a stalemate!" Princess Celestia said trying to overcome Rosethrone's magic whom was at the moment equal to hers.

This soon became apparent that Rosethrone actually had more magical power as she flew towards Princess Celestia "Oh, I don't think so!"

Princess Celestia soon realized that Rosethrone's magic was pushing her own magic towards her as the evil Alicorn flew forward. The magical energies were soon forced onto Princess Celestia washing over her before she had a chance to summon her barrier, then just as Luna planned to do with Rosethrone, Princess Rosethrone slams into Princess Celestia at a very high speed which takes Celestia to a wall the Equestrian Princess of the Sun smashes into the wall, causing it to collapse onto her then Celestia lay still beaten unable to get up due to the rubble that was on her.

The crowd gasps as Rosethrone had bested Princess Celestia so effortlessly. She also had bested Luna whom was still trying to break free from her vine spiderweb position. She had tried blast after blast, after blast but nothing worked. Princess Rosethrone giggled watching Luna's struggles as she taunts them "Shall I kill you both now or kill one of you now and keep the other one alive?"

Both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna knew they were indeed beaten. Rosethrone was very powerful and was very skilled in battle, she wasted no time in using Luna's anger against her to lure her into a trap, and as for Celestia whom had powerful magic it wasn't enough overpower Rosethrone's and Celestia then gasps knowing why "Don't tell me Rosethrone, your magic...It..."

Rosethrone nodded smirking "Yep, it's true Celestia, my magic gains strength from the sunlight in a similar process to photosynthesis for plants. In short your magic raises the sun and is connected to it making my magic it strong enough to absorb and give me more strength in my magic when in the daytime and when my opponent's magic is closely connected to the sun."

"Swell!" Luna growled "So why did you beat me so easily?"

Rosethrone answered walking over to Princess Luna "Because unlike Ripfang, I'm not stupid, he was unprepared to take on an Alicorn but me being an Alicorn gives me knowledge how to beat them. Plus you were and still are very angry at me."

"YOU BET I AM!"

Rosethrone continued with her taunting explanation "Plus Ungatt Trunn my adopted father taught me how to use my opponent's anger against them. He even mentioned that the best kind of beasts to fight is when one lets his or her to her anger control their actions. Normally this sort of knowledge allows one to overpower anybeast or anypony that's totally enraged...Except for one...And Ripfang knows what beast one can't exactly over power in anger...Now which was it?"

"BADGERS WHEN THEY ARE IN THEIR CURSE OF BLOODWRATH!" Ripfang and all of Princess Rosethrone's vermin horde shouted.

Rosethrone nodded as she addressed her beaten foes "Yes, they are right unless you are a badger even if they aren't in Bloodwrath those are beasts nopony or nobeast want to fight when angry because they aren't easily tricked to beat.

Ripfang nodded "They say Lord Stonepaw must've taken down one hundred or more Blue Horde Beasts when Ungatt Trunn's Blue Horde found him and his hares beneath Salmandestron and that was when he did suffer from that before he eventually took seven more with him to his own death refusing to be taken alive."

Rosethrone eyes the captives smirking "You Princess Celestia aren't worth keeping around alive and I should slay you and Luna both, but I'll be merciful for once in my life. You and Luna are spared for now. Guards, take them back to their cell, I'll execute them personally in a week's time."

The guards came out grabbed the two beaten Princesses and escorted them back to their cell. Ripfang had never seen Rosethrone battle once, his jaws dropped wide open in disbelief that Rosethrone came out of that battle relatively unscratched even from an angry Princess Luna whom actually did seem to give Rosethrone a bit of worry towards the end. Rosethrone turned to him "Next time don't question my judgement, if I decide to bring out prisoners to fight in the open do it."

"I'll remember that Princess. You were incredible out there!"

Rosethrone nodded "I'll be in my chambers Ripfang. Once the prisoners are secured get onto training the ponies."

"Of course!"

Rosethrone leaves the area towards her chambers.

End of chapter

Bigger chapter than normal but it did it's purpose. Again this is one day early because my other fanfic in Yugioh Defenders of the Sakura Cards, well I'm still at a lost of how to continue that so It's on a temporary hiatus. Anyway I will admit this now that this is the last week I'll update this fanfic this month, after this week I'll be very busy with no time to update or work on any fanfics except for maybe after the week of Thanksgiving. A heads up if you see no fanfics updated. So please do enjoy this latest updated chapter. The battle was shorter than I wanted but I didn't want the chapter to be 5000 words long as remember I'm trying to base it off of Brain Jacques's books and well trying to base it off the number of pages each of his chapters are based off. Anyway next chapter is Chapter 7 and we shall see our heroes this time studying the scene and how to save the two Princesses!